


Give me Another Drink

by PippinPips



Series: Zombie Apocalypse 'Verse [4]
Category: The Avengers (2012), X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Zombies, Angst, Charles cockblocks himself, Erik gets along with Nat and Clint, M/M, Steve is like the responsible parent, Zombies, but they're always there, everything is still fucked, there are no zombies at the moment, there is totally something between Thor and Loki, while Tony is the irresponsible parent, who would have known
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-27
Updated: 2012-08-27
Packaged: 2017-11-13 00:05:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/497172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PippinPips/pseuds/PippinPips
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony finds alcohol. But it's not a party. With each moment things become all a little too real for Charles.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Give me Another Drink

**Author's Note:**

> This started as supposed to be a silly story about getting drunk and telling stories/ragging on each other. It turned into Charles lamenting. I would blame him but this is my brain child.

Alcohol is nice. Alcohol during the end of days where people are obviously infected and act more like creatures is a stupid idea. Charles knows this and anyone who is a survivor knows this, except for Tony Stark apparently. Because the man just hands out all the beer he’s found and starts telling them to take a night off from the Apocalypse.

 

Right. Like that’s possible.

 

But he even hands Loki a beer, and no one seems to be able to stand Loki minus Thor and sometimes Erik, though Erik seems to only spend a few minutes in Loki’s presence before he’s back at Charles’ side muttering under his breath.

 

Charles settles beside Erik, not too close, but close enough that he can share some body heat with the other man. Tony sends him a grin and a wink before he tosses two beers at Thor. Bruce doesn’t take a can, instead he just nods amicably while watching the perimeter cautiously.

 

“Now! Who wants to hear a story about Charlie here?” Tony asks. No one raises their hands, but that doesn’t seem to deter Tony instead the man turns fully to look at all of them and begins his tale. “Charlie here was once upon a time believed he was quite the Casanova back when we were at school. Unfortunately for him, he was only sixteen.” Charles turns his head more towards Erik, part of him wishing to press his face against the strong shoulder. He shakes his head; the alcohol is getting to him more than he wants to admit. Placing it by his side gingerly, he holds up a hand.

 

“Excuse me Anthony, but I believe that there are more stories about you doing those things than there is me!”

 

“Except I was actually successful, if you remember correctly Charlie. You were not,” Tony teases.

 

“We don’t need any more stories about Stark,” Natasha comments. She’s beside Clint, and her body is listing towards his as his is back towards hers. They both have the beers in their hands, but Charles can’t tell if they are drinking from them or just holding them. Thor has a pile of six cans already, something that makes Charles do a double take, and he’s asking for another.  He picks his back up.

 

“Your drinks are not nearly as strong as those in Asgard,” Thor informs them jovially. Charles watches as Erik quirks a brow before he does take a sip of the warm beverage.

 

“You’re drinking American, wait until you’ve had European,” Erik says. Natasha tilts her own can towards Erik in agreement.

 

“Oh! Look, Charlie’s boy is a beer connoisseur, tell me oh wise one how did you get so well informed?” Tony challenges, and Charles honestly can’t tell if it’s in a teasing way or if Tony is feeling belligerent. He refrains from testing Tony’s mind to find out, and instead opens his mouth to warn Tony.

 

“Tony.” It’s Steve, not Charles, who cuts in. The man who was once Captain America, there is no America for him to be captain of any more, steps forward and places a hand on Tony’s shoulder.  He pulls Tony closer to him before leading the once Iron Man back to his perch. “A few beers are okay, but let’s not forget that there are still hostiles out there.”

 

“Yes, like the mighty one you call the Tank. He is ferocious,” Thor adds. Charles can’t help but smile in his direction. Thor is the man that you want on your team, Charles muses, and he seems to take to battles like a fish in water.  At Thor’s side, Loki shifts a bit and like dominos the Avengers tense. Thor keeps a trained eye on his brother before he places a hand on the back of Loki’s neck gaining a poisonous glance from him.

 

Charles curls closer to Erik; whatever the history is that is swirling around the other members of their group he doesn’t quite want to step into it, at least not yet. It’s only been three weeks since they first joined and Charles is waiting for the day Erik packs up and goes off with or without him.

 

“Hey! No fighting kids!” Tony bellows out. “Just drink your beers!” Steve doesn’t correct him, but Charles does watch as he pulls the beer can out of Tony’s hand and give him a look. Charles keeps track as Tony doesn’t do more than roll his eyes and grab another one.

 

It’s almost like a family unit, even Loki has his place. Charles glances down at the beer in his hand and tries to pull away from the ache that throbs in his chest as he thinks of all that he doesn’t have. He and Tony have a past, but Charles doesn’t know if there is a future with their friendship.

 

There’s a tug on the can in his hand, and Charles looks up to see Erik with his brows furrowing and he looks bothered by something but before Charles can ask the can is pulled away from him. Erik holds it up and tips it from side to side. Not enough to pour out anything but Charles supposes enough to judge how full the beverage is. Erik’s mind lights up, but Charles keeps his distance.

 

“You’re getting maudlin and you haven’t even drank half of this one,” Erik comments, his voice is dry and all Charles wants to do is place his face in his hand and pretend that they’re somewhere else.

 

“It’s the end of the world, I think I’m allowed,” Charles replies. Erik hooks a finger around his collar and pulls him closer so that their noses brush. Charles’ breath catches and he stares into Erik’s eyes. It’s like a never ending drop and it’s terrifying in the same way that it’s all that he wants for a moment.

 

The talking around them stops, Charles can feel attention on them. He wishes he could ignore it, just pay attention to Erik and his eyes, but he can’t. Slowly he pulls away and Erik lets him.

 

“Charlie, you need another one?” Tony calls out. Another can comes hurtling his way and just at the last moment it slows enough that he can wrap his hand around it. Charles shoots a look in Erik’s direction, but he’s not looking. The next thing he knows, Erik is getting and moving away from him. Charles tries not to miss Erik’s warmth when he settles beside the two assassins. But Thor, with Loki in tow, arrive at Charles’ side before he can miss his friend for much longer.

 

“Hello Thor,” Charles greets. “Loki.” Thor crashes his own can against Charles’ while Loki gives him one of the least disdainful glances. “I never did get to ask you two why you’re here. I mean, this isn’t your home world.” Thor lets out a sad chuckle.

 

“No, but Midgard is a place I promised to protect.”

 

“Fine job you did of that.” Loki’s comment is like barbs, and Charles watches as they dig deep in Thor’s skin. Yet, he watches more as Thor turns towards his brother and gives him a knowing glance.

 

“Aye, fine job, but all is not lost. We found these two and they know of others who are alive.” Thor gestures towards Erik and then towards Charles once more. “And I found you.”

 

Charles doesn’t think he’ll ever understand what is between the two men, but he does know that no one else in the group was ever looking for Loki. There was always Thor who seemed while happy to be with the group also as if he were searching for something and when Loki appeared it had been as if he had found it. Up until Clint had notched in arrow in Loki’s direction. Things changed quickly after that.

 

Settling back, Charles tips the can up against his lips and basically chugs the rest of the alcohol. His eyes catch Erik’s and he drinks more.

 

The next morning he’ll regret drinking, as will Tony and Erik, but right then he wants to turn off his brain. Charles doesn’t want to look at a group he still feels a distance from, where there is so many stories linking them all together and not him. He wants to ignore the way Erik can almost slot into a group with Clint and Natasha. So he drinks, it’s not healthy but in the end of the world scenario there is never enough alcohol around to actually become an alcoholic. So, Charles is fairly certain this won’t get out of hand. Still the worrying glance Steve sends his way and then Erik’s doesn’t make the drink go down any smoother.  


End file.
